Do Bears S**t In the Woods? (The Camping Thread)

[Apoc]

I'm on my phone, so I'm just gonna post some links for now.

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[.RJ]

Scotty mentioned the organizing problem, so I'll contribute.

Everything for camping in my house goes into a giant bin. Everything in the bin is organized in its own bag or stuff sack. When we come home and get cleaned up, the bin gets repacked. It makes life easy to just grab the bin, food/water, clothes, bikes, shit for the dogs (getting another bin for that stuff) and go. If we think we need something new to go in the bin, something has to come out to make it fit. Keeps it simple and keeps camping, well, camping. I dont want giant camp stoves and barcaloungers, although my tent is fucking ridiculous.

I've also been doing more bike camping/bike packing lately and I'm paring down my gear towards the ultralight. I prefer to sleep in a hammock so this helps keep things light.

Gear - car camping i've been really happy with north face tents and REI bags. None of its ultralight stuff, but it works. I started packing an air mattress because it takes up less space than two inflatable sleeping pads. Jet boil water heater is so easy. Love it.

I really dig these lights - <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://luminaid.com/">https://luminaid.com/</a><!-- m --> - solar powered and pack up nice and small, I have 3 of them just hang them up around the campsite and in the tent.

[Apoc]

I organize my shit too. The only thing that screws me up is when I do bro camping and want to pack a lot lighter.

[.RJ]

Too many loose things. Organize in stuff sacks so your bin doesnt explode upon arrival.

[Apoc]

It's more packable with the ability to Tetris, IMO. We haven't had any bin-splosion issues because most of it gets unpacked and used. If anything, I kinda wish in had smaller themed bins instead of this big one.

[Senor_Taylor]

Has anyone had any experience sleeping in your car? I used to take the full tent setup and everything when I had the Taco, but I'd really need to buy a new tent as this one is cheap and doesn't stay very water proof (yes, I've treated it).

I'm not sure if I want to be dumb and deck out the 4Runner for camping or not just yet.

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[ispoonwithmugen]

Taylor I've slept in many cars. Fire away with questions.

[JustinG]

Any time I've slept in a car you want to make sure you have a good insulation layer between the car floor and you during cold weather seasons.

This could be different depending on the vehicle, but a 26yr old Explorer and a 15yr old Jeep are lacking in the floor insulation department.

[Sully]

Ventilation always seemed to be a problem the few times I did it. Maybe some mosquito netting and a cracked window but I didn't plan ahead. Woke up to a very stuffy car and lots of condensation. Wasn't pleasant.

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[V1GiLaNtE]

Has anyone had any experience sleeping in your car? I used to take the full tent setup and everything when I had the Taco, but I'd really need to buy a new tent as this one is cheap and doesn't stay very water proof (yes, I've treated it).

I'm not sure if I want to be dumb and deck out the 4Runner for camping or not just yet.

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Taylor (no offense) you're probably short enough that sleeping in the T4R would work easily for you. I've done it once or twice, but I have to remove the bottom of the back seat. I plan on building and extension so I can fully stretch out.

Stay tuned to my thread for some inspiration.

[V1GiLaNtE]

I prefer to sleep in a hammock so this helps keep things light.

Can you elaborate on your hammock setup? I'm looking to do this more in more as I have some backpacking trips planned in the fall. I already have the hammock.

[.RJ]

I prefer to sleep in a hammock so this helps keep things light.

Can you elaborate on your hammock setup? I'm looking to do this more in more as I have some backpacking trips planned in the fall. I already have the hammock.

I have two, one of them is an Eno Double that goes in with the car camping bin along with some heavy duty Eno straps that allow for a ridiculously long span between trees and that setup is pretty much idiot/dingo proof. Mostly summer lounging although i did backpack/bikepack with it for a while.

I just purchased a hummingbird hammock (single+) thats super small/light, and I've had for a while a pair of eno helios suspension straps. A little more care required in setup and use of these, not that they are fragile but barreling into the hammock with sharp objects in your pockets will slice the thing open and you cant hamfist the tree huggers. I put a fixed structural ridgeline in this hammock to make setup easier. I've also got a wilderness logics tarp (I think its sil-nylon?), some lightweight titanium stakes... I ordered an underquilt a few weeks ago thats not here yet, I'm excited to start using that. I decided I was tired of being cold at night.

If you are going to hammock camp, even in the summer, figure out how you're going to stay warm. If its over 60-65 degrees you're likely OK with just a sleeping bag or quilt but that is really the lower limit. Below that you need some kind of insulation, either an underquilt or sleeping pad, even if its a cheap $10 closed cell foam mat that goes in your hammock with you. You can think i'm crazy for telling you to insulate your ass in the summertime, but you will freeze your ass off if you dont - I did for several weekends. Mid 60's is where things start to get comfy for me without insulation - the thick fabric of the doublenest and keeping the tarp low on you keeps the wind out and some heat in, too. With a lightweight hammock and no tarp I'm not sure I'd ever be warm at night without any insulation.

I'm probably bikepacking out west of hbg in the gw forest again in 2 weeks.

[ScottyB]

i'd love to see some reviews of campgrounds / camping spots if that's not secret info (i completely understand if not, its a bit like hiding the good fishing holes). i spend a ton of time trying to research good places to go with the family in the coming months.

same goes for gear. would love to hear what you guys are having success with and/or never buying again because it sucked.

[.RJ]

Lots of small campsites next to streams along FR95 in the GW forest, west of stokesville.

[ispoonwithmugen]

^that. When I was living in free campsites I used freecampsites.net. It is an insanely powerful resource.

[Sully]

North bend park at buggs island lake was always our favorite but mainly for boating (jetskiing) we'd get spots right along the water and pull the skis right up on the beach. It's pretty awesome if you want a boating/sandy lake beach spot but not sure if there's really any hiking or other cool things to do. You can probably fish off the beach but would definitely be better to have at least a canoe because it can be popular for families who swim which would scare fish away. And you might only catch catfish near shore. But definitely a cheap "beach" weekend.

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[ScottyB]

freecampsites.net

this is amazing

[navin]

Taylor -- check out these things (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Self-Inflating-Camp-Attached-Pillow/dp/B00BF9IYO4/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1498696123&sr=8-7&keywords=roll+out+sleeping+pad">https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Self-Inf ... eeping+pad</a><!-- m -->) and see if it will fit with the seats folded down on the 4runner. I use two of those when I sleep in a buddies trailer at the track, and I'm old and stuff but I still manage a decent sleep.

I slept in the back of the 4runner at Summit once... I remember it being a bit uncomfortable because the rear seats don't fold completely flat. If Caleb knows a way to get that done, then it'll be fine. Back window is crucial for letting some air in, maybe find a way to rig up something to keep bugs out.

[Senor_Taylor]

Garrett, I'll figure up some good questions.

Navin, what do you mean they don't fold flat? Mine do. I'll peek at that thing you linked.

I'd bet an air mattress would fit.

[WRXtranceformed]

So they had a guy on the morning news today who is a "glamour expert" giving out tips on what to pack when you are "glamping" (I had to look up what this means). Here are some of the things he recommends you pack on your next trip:

- Banana Boat sunscreen
- Rose water (to spritz on your face)
- Lip stick and nail paint - You can go bright colors on the fingernails and sparkling color on the toes, or vice versa to jazz things up. Also if you go bright on the lipstick make sure to go neutral with your eye makeup. I was told there is no need to go "full facial" with makeup when you're glamping, unless you go out to a nice dinner

Make sure you all save some room in your packs!